Artificial tooth



(No Model.)

- W. S. CURTIS.

ARTIFICIAL TOOTH.

No. 350,871. I Patented Oct. 12. 1886.

wa Mrm N. PEYEFE. Phutwmhc n hu, wnmn mn. n. c.

Users TATES ATENT Fries.

ARTIFICIAL TOOTH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 350,871, dated October 12,1886.

A pplicalion tiled July 2G, 18%.

Serial No. 209,121.

(No model.)

useful Improvements in Artificial Teeth, of.

which the following is a specification.

Myinvcntion relates to improvements in the form and shape of artificial teeth in reference to the manner of attaching and holding them to a plastic. base orgum; and the objects of my invention are, first, to provide artificial teeth in which the strength, after their attachment with the plastic base or guin,is not materially impaired by means of the slots or dovetails, and shoulders or projections at the base or on the sides of such teeth for attaching and holding such teeth to the plastic base or gum; sec ond, to provide artificial teeth which,by means of certain slots, dovetails, or indentures made therein, or certain rims or projections made thereon, hereinafter more fully described, may be firmly and strongly attached to any plastic base or gum, and whiclrwhen so attached,will so rcinain,notwithstan.d ing the natural shrinking away from the teeth of the plastic base or gum; third. to provide artificial teeth that can be more easily adjusted and attached to the plastic base or gum than heretofore. I attain these objects by the iforins of teeth represented in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 represents the side View of a lateral incisor artificial tooth with my improved slot or indenture for attaching the same to the plastic base or gum, also the base of the same tooth. Fig. 2 represents the side view of a first molar tooth with my improved dovetail or slot for attaching the same to the plastic base or gum, also the base of the same tooth. Fig. 3 represents a sectional view of the front portion of a plate of teeth with the teeth adjusted to the plastic base or gum ready for use, the dotted lines of which represent the outlines of the plastic base or gum as it exists in coir neetion with the tooth. Fig. lreprescnts a sectional view of the palatal portion of a plate of teeth with the teeth adjusted to the plastic base or gum ready for use, the dotted lines of which represent the outlines of the plastic base or gum as it exists in connection with the tooth.

Similarlcttcrs rcferto similar parts throughout the several drawings.

In Fig. 1, (1 represents a cone-shaped slot or indenturc made in each side of the tooth, 01

such depth as may be desired, into which the plastic base or gum passes during the process of constructing the plate. Just below the base of this slot or indenture, and extending around the tooth, is the indenturc crease or channel 0, terminating at the base of the tooth with. the rim or projection which also extends around thcitooth, into which crease or channel the plastic base or gum also passes during the construction of the plate. The base of the tooth (Z consists of a conical and continuous surface, which rests upon and is embedded in the plastic base or gum when adjustcd. The plastic base or gum passing into and completely filling the slot or indcnture (i, also the indenturc, crease, or channel and the conical and unbroken surface of the base ot the tooth resting on the plastic base or gum, as above mentioned, renders the tooth firmly and strongly attached to'and supported by the plastic base or gum. As will be seen, the tooth is held down to the plastic base or gum both by means of the slot or indentnre a and the crease or channel 0, so that any shrinkage of the plastic base or guin will not cause the tooth to loosen or decrease the strength with which it is attached to the plastic base or gum. The plastic base or gum which flows into the slot or indent ure (1 being so far above the base of the tooth d, which is the support of the tooth, produces alererpurchase power in ad dition to that produced by the base or gum flowing into the crease or channel 0, for resisting any lateral or other pressure or strain on the tooth. The tooth being solid and the surface or contour continuous and unbrokcmasidc from the slight indcnture or slot n,the strength of the tooth is not impaired by the means provided, as above described, for its attachment j to the plastic base or gum, and owing to this new and novel method of attachment the tooth will easily resist all strain or pressure without splitting. This form of slot or indenture,

crease, or channel, rim or projection, &c., is, however, more especially adapted to the front or incisor teeth, and the back or bicuspid and molar teeth may be made accordinglto the representations in Figs. 2 and t of the draw ings. In this form the dovetail or slot is formed upon either side of the tooth, and, be gunning at the base, its three sides diverge from each other and extend to a point about m dway between the base and crown. From this construction I secure a novel result, for the reason that when two teeth are brought side by side and the plastic gum orbase is applied a tongue is formed, as shown at 3 in Fig. 4, between the adjacent teeth having its four sides diverging from a point at the base of the teeth by reason of the plastic material entering the dovetail groove or slots. This construction also forms a dovetail projection of the body of the tooth, as shown at 5, Fig.4. It will clearly be seen that a very effective connection is thus formed between the teeth and the gum or base adapted to resist strain from all directions, and also allowing for any shrinkage to which the gum or base may be subjected.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the'United States, is

1. In an artificial tooth, means for attaching it to a plastic base or gum, consisting of indentures formed in the side thereof, in combi- XVALTER S. CURTIS.

Witnesses:

GEo. A. LAIRD, Jas. H. BURT. 

